Method of and apparatus for mining and recovering minerals



E. H. McFARLAND METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR MINING AND RECOVENINGMINERALS sept. 2,1, 1937.

Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1957 Sept. 21, 1937.

- E. H. MCFARLAND METHOD OF'AND APPARATUS FOR MINING AND RECOVERINGMINERA-LS Filed Feb. 18, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i* of the mineral as itis being shoveled by progresi y, IUNITED STAT Patented sept. 21, 1937.METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MINING AND RECOVERING MINERALS Edward H.McFarland, Zanesville, ohm` kApplication February 18, 1937, Serial No.126,507

` Y l claims.

This invention relatesto the mining and rei covering of minerals, andparticularly to the `mining and recoveringof minerals Where being minedis undercut.

`At the present time in the mining of minerals the vein lafter the veinof mineral is undercut and shot or snubbed down, the mined material isconveyed by hand labor to a conveyor generally by shoveling the minedmaterial and during the shoveling of the material bands of impuritiesare picked out sive stages towards the conveyor.

As an alternate mechanical loading or transferring of the mined materialto the conveyor is resorted to, and where mechanical loading ortransferring is resorted to, all the material shot or snubbed down fromthe face of the mineral vein is transferred to the conveyor, resultingin a product contaminated with impurities requiring supplementalcleaning operations outside of the working place. An object oftheinvention is therefore to improve the art of mining and mechanical`loading to the end thata cleaner mineral product is produced atmaterially reduced expense orrcost.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages will be bestunderstood from a study of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an enlargedfragmentary detail view taken through a mine working place and showingthe apparatus used in accordance with the present invention in top plan.

Figure 2 is a longitudinalsectional view through r the material beingmined. i

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken `substantially on the line3-3 of Figure 2.

i als, it will be seen that I indicates the block of mineralbeinglmined, 2 the face of the mineral vein, 3 the entry to the placebeing worked, 4

`the roof, and 5 the bottom strata, respectively,`

above and below the mineral vein. A

Supports for the roof in the mined out area are indicated by thereference numeral 6.

The undercut in the face of the mineral vein is indicated by thereference numeral 8, and this undercut, slot or kerf, is formed throughthe medum of the usual undercutting machine indicated generally by thereference numeral 1.

In accordance with the present invention, as the undercutting machineprogresses in the cutting of the kerf or slot 8, there are placed on thei bottom strata5 in edge-to-edge relation successively positionedfriction plates 9 which at one end extend into the kerf 8 as clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 3.

The plates 9 may be `made of metal or other suitable material and areprovided on their upper faces with finely divided coal, soapstone,graphite or other material spread over the surfaces thereof to reducefriction, or for the same purpose,

and as illustrated, said plates may be provided 5, and when used theplates 9 are secured in position through the medium of posts or jacks I0which rest at their bases on the plates 9 and at their upper ends bearagainst the roof 4 as shown for example in Figures 3 and 4.

Further in accordance with the present inven- Y tion there is provided aconveyor belt II.

Belt I I may consist of a single length of reinforced fabric, wooden ormetal slats chained or linked together, and in the present instance isshown as consisting of a plurality of sections suit- I ably connectedtogether as to permit of their ready separation to facilitatetransporting of the conveyor.

The conveyor belt II is wound on a roller I5 suitably journaled in abracket structure I6 provided therefor in the entrance 3 to the areabeing mined.

The conveyor belt II is trained over an idler roller I9 and at its freeend has connected therewith as at 2i) one end of a cable 2|.

Under actual working conditions the cable 2l is given several turnsabout'a winch or the like 22 carried by the undercutting machine 'I sothat from time to time, as the undercutting machine 1 progresses theconveyor belt II is caused to unwind from the roll I5 to be extendedover the plates 9 as the plates are being laid behind the travelingundercutting machine 'I. In this connection it will be noted that anedge portion of the conveyor belt II extends into the kerf 8, as

clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4.

When the kerf cutting operation has been completed, the mineral vein issnubbed down or,` drilled and shot down with explosives, the loosenedmaterial I'I falling in a pile on the conveyor belt or apron I I. Thispile of material now on the belt contains of course partings or bands offoreign material in addition to the mineral. The loose mineral is rakedor spread by a suitable tool uniformly on the belt and the foreignmaterial picked free from the mineral and cast to the mined out area ofthe mine.

For winding the conveyor belt or apron II on the roller I5 with thematerial I'I thereon to the end that the material I'I will be conveyedto the' entrance 3 to pass from the conveyor belt II on to a suitablebelt conveyor I8 provided in the entrance space 3, as clearly shown inthe drawings, there is provided a prime mover, the same in the presentinstance being an electric motor I4 that is in driving engagement withthe roller I5 through the medium of suitable reduction gearing I3, aswill be clear from a study of Figure 1.

The material received on the conveyor I8 is carried thereby to a pointoutside of the mine, or to another conveying medium thus completing themining and recovering cycle of operation.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the utility and advantagesof the invention will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

1. A method of mining and recovering minerals which consists in cuttinga horizontal kerf in the mineral vein, feeding a conveyor beltlongitudinally into the kerf as the kerf is being cut, next, shooting orsnubbing down the mineral on to the conveyor belt, and nally withdrawingthe conveyor belt with the shot or snubbed down mineral thereon.

2. A method of mining and recovering minerals which consists inundercutting a kerf in the mineral vein, laying successive plates on thebottom Strata below the mineral vein successively and in edge-to-edgerelation with one end of the plates extending into the kerf, feeding aconveyor belt over the successively laid plates directly behind theundercutting machine, next, shooting or snubloing down the mineral on tothe conveyor belt,

and finally withdrawing the conveyor belt with the shot or snubbed downmaterial thereon.

3. For use in mining and recovering minerals where the mineral vein isundercut, the combination of an undercutting machine, a roll of conveyorbelting supported at a point approximating the starting point of theundercutting operation, and means connecting the free end of theconveyor belt with the undercutting machine for paying out the beltlongitudinally into the kerf as the undercutting machine progresses,with a longitudinal portion of the conveyor belt extending into thekerf.

4. For use in mining and recovering minerals where the mineral vein isundercut, a combination of an undercutting machine, a roll of conveyorbelting supported at a point approximating the starting point of theundercutting operation, means connecting the free end of the conveyorbelt with the undercutting machine for paying out the beltlongitudinally into the kerf as the undercutting machine progresses,with a longitudinal portion of the conveyor belt extending into thekerf, and. mechanism connected with the conveyor belting roll forrewinding the latter for withdrawing the shot or snubbed down mineralpil-ed thereon.

5. For use in mining and recovering minerals where the mineral vein isundercut, a combination of an undercutting machine, a roll of conveyorbelting supported at a point approximating the starting point of theundercutting operation, means connecting the free end of the conveyorbelt with the undercutting machine for paying out th'e'beltlongitudinally into the kerf as the undercutting machine progresses,with a longitudinal portion of the conveyor belt extending into thekerf, mechanism connected with the conveyor belting roll for rewindingthe latter for withdrawing the shot or snubbed down mineral piledthereon, and a second conveyor extending at right angles to the conveyorbelt roll for receiving the contents of the latter.

EDWARD H. MCFARLAND.

